GDP Estimates of 2nd quarter more encouraging than anticipated: Chief Economic Advisor

Chief Economic Advisor  K V Subramanian yesterday said that  India's Gross Domestic Product of the second quarter of 2020-21 is quite encouraging in comparison to the first quarter. He said, manufacturing has recorded a positive growth of 0.6 per cent , and utility has grown by 4.4 per cent and Agriculture grew by 3.4 per cent in the second quarter.  Mr Subramanian said that the broad recovery is underway .

India's Gross Domestic Product  contracted by 7.5 per cent in the second quarter from July to September of 2020-21.According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Gross Value Added (GVA) came in at minus 7 per cent. It said,

Gross Domestic Product, GDP  at Constant (2011-12) Prices in second quarter of 2020-21 is estimated at  33.14 lakh crore rupees  as against  35.84 lakh crore rupees in same quarter  of 2019-20. It shows  a contraction of 7.5 per cent as compared to 4.4 per cent growth in the second quarter of  2019-20.

The Ministry said, Quarterly GVA at Basic Prices at Constant (2011-12) Prices for second quarter of 2020-21 is estimated at 30.49 lakh crore rupees , as against 32.78 lakh crore rupees  in same quarter of 2019-20, showing a contraction of 7



percent. The financial, real estate and professional services sector contracted by 8.1 per cent and construction by 8.6 per cent.

Some sectors have bounced back with resumption of economic activities. The electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services have shown a growth of 4.4 per cent. It said, agriculture, forestry and fishing sector at 3.4 per cent and manufacturing sector showed a marginal growth of 0.6 per cent.

Agriculture appeared to be one of the few bright spots for the second straight quarter amid a grim GDP performance clocking a growth of 3.4 percent at constant prices in the July- September quarter as per the data released by National Statistical Office (NSO) today.

In the April-June quarter of 2020-2021, the agriculture sector had surpassed the overall GDP growth by clocking a 3.4 percent growth. A favourable monsoon in over six years resulting in a bumper kharif season is among the primary factors for the outperformance of the farm sector despite the COVID-19 impact.

According to the NSO data the gross value added (GVA) from agriculture, forestry and fishing grew 3.4 percent at constant prices in July-September 2020 over the same period last year.